WHITE PAPER DISCUSSES CRIMINAL TRENDS

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32036, 10 July 1969, Page 1

WHITE PAPER DISCUSSES CRIMINAL TRENDS

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 9. Urban growth and the movement of Maoris into urban areas are cited as influences and trends in criminal offending in a Government White Paper entitled “Grime In New Zealand, 1969,” tabled in Parliament today by the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Marshall).

The report shows that offences reported have almost doubled over the last decade from 66,677 in 1958 to 125,437 in 1968. Offences prosecuted have risen from 31,451 to 50,444 over the 10-year period.

Total convictions (distinct cases) increased from 24,795 to 36,172 in 1967. Figures for 1968 are not yet available. These statistics are exclusive of traffic offences.

The report makes the point that, of the offences reported, about half are prosecuted or cleared by other means. “Thus 50 per cent of reported offences are unsolved, but how many of these are in fact “no offences’ is, of course, not known.”

The report said the number of persons involved in criminal activity was the truest index of criminality in the community—“but even here care should be exercised in making comoarisons over a period of time.” Changes in the law and the

more efficient detection of crime might be significant factors in a variation in the number of convictions. Steady Increase World - wide experience showed that crime tended to flourish in large metropolitan areas.

There had been a steady increase in the number of people living in urban areas in New Zealand. In 1956, the figure was 1.5 m (70.8 per cent of total population); in 1966, 2m (77.3 per cent of total population). Thus an increasingly larger proportion of the population was living’ in the “more impersonal environment” of cities.

A study of probation cases indicated that people in the cities had committed offences covering the whole spectrum of criminal activity, whereas rural cases tended to be restricted to the less serious types of crime.

“In addition there is a marked difference between the number of rural probationers who live at home and the large proportion of probationers in cities who are living in boarding houses.

flats, or other accommodation away from their own homes. “When young people are away from the direct influence of their families, the possibility of offending is greatly increased.” Dealing with the movement of Maoris into urban areas, the report said that in recent years urban growth had helped absorb the increasing Maori population. In the 10-year period 1956 to 1966, the Maori urban population had increased from 32,000 to 100,000. Expressed as a percentage of the total Maori population, the proportion of Maori population living in urban areas had doubled—from 23.6 per cent in 1956 to 49.9 per cent in 1966.

Figures for male offenders convicted in the Magistrate’s Court after arrest show an increase in non-Maori and Maori offending over the seven-year period 1961-67. In the case of non-Maoris the increase is from 6024 to 8796; for Maoris, from 1763 to 3035.

The report added, however, that the Maori rate itself was five times greater than the non-Maori rate.

The 1967 Maori figure, represented as convictions per 10,000 of the mean population, amounted to 571.5; the non-Maori figure, 102.3.

The report emphasised that the Maori population was proportionately younger than the non-Maori population and therefore there was a greater part of the Maori population “at risk” than non-Maori.

Non-sexual offences against the person showed a steady upward trend for both Maoris

and non-Maoris, the Maori rate slightly exceeding that of the non-Maori. For sexual offences against the person, the non-Maori rate of increase exceeded the Maori rate quite markedly. Offences against good order showed a numerical increase, with the Maori rate higher than the non-Maori rate.

The report said special measures to prevent Maori offending included pre-em-ployment courses and accommodation, trade training schemes and Maori cultural activities in the cities.